Dates

• Existence: 1828 - 1898

Biographical history

John Lyman Smith (1828-1898) was an American politician, and an early pioneer and missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

John Lyman Smith was born November 17, 1828, in Potsdam, New York, to parents Clarissa Lyman and John Smith. His father was the brother of Joseph Smith Sr., making John Lyman Smith the cousin of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kirtland in 1836, at the age of eight, by his father. John Lyman Smith joined the migration of the early saints as he moved with his family to Kirtland, Ohio; Missouri; Nauvoo, Illinois; and later, to the Salt Lake Valley with the Daniel Spencer/ Perrigrine Sessions Company. He served two missions in Switzerland and Italy. Smith married Augusta Bowen Cleveland on July 9, 1845, in Nauvoo, Illinois. They had eight children. In 1853, John L. was elected to the Utah Territorial Legislature, and two years later, he was admitted to the bar of the territorial Supreme Court. He took a second wife, Mary Adelia Haight, in March of 1853. John worked in the Church Historian's office and was the secretary of the Legislative council in 1858. In 1866, he was elected as Justice of the Peace in the Fillmore Precinct, Millard County. He was appointed secretary of the School of Prophets and set apart as a member of the stake high council in 1869. Smith became a Justice of the Peace again in Beaver County in 1871, and in 1873 he was ordained a patriarch by Brigham Young and George A. Smith. In 1876, he began collecting tithes and offerings from the members in Washington, Kane and Iron Counties in order to finish the St. George Temple. Smith supported his family throughout his life mainly by carpentry, furniture making, farming, and practicing some law. He passed away on February 21, 1898, in St. George, Utah.

Citation:

Familysearch, via WWW, November 12, 2020 (John Lyman Smith was born November 17, 1828, in Potsdam, New York, to parents Clarissa Lyman and John Smith; Father was the brother of Joseph Smith Sr., making John Lyman Smith the cousin of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kirtland in 1836, at the age of eight, by his father. Joined the migration of the early saints as he moved with his family to Kirtland, Ohio; Missouri; Nauvoo, Illinois; and later, to the Salt Lake Valley with the Daniel Spencer/ Perrigrine Sessions Company; Served two missions in Switzerland and Italy; married Augusta Bowen Cleveland on July 9, 1845, in Nauvoo, Illinois. They had eight children. In 1853, John L. was elected to the Utah Territorial Legislature, and two years later, admitted to the bar of the territorial Supreme Court. Took a second wife, Mary Adelia Haight, in March of 1853; Worked in the Church Historian's office and was the secretary of the Legislative council in 1858. In 1866, he was elected as Justice of the Peace in the Fillmore Precinct, Millard County. Appointed secretary of the School of Prophets and set apart as a member of the stake high council in 1869. Became a Justice of the Peace again in Beaver County in 1871, and in 1873 he was ordained a patriarch by Brigham Young and George A. Smith. In 1876, began collecting tithes and offerings from the members in Washington, Kane and Iron Counties in order to finish the St. George Temple. Supported his family throughout his life mainly by carpentry, furniture making, farming, and practicing law. Passed away on February 21, 1898, in St. George, Utah.

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